H cent^ 


L^/X~ 


AS 


METAL  WORK  AND 
ETCHING 

BY 

JOHN  D.  ADAMS 

WITH  ADDITIONAL 
DESIGNS 

BY 

OTHER  WRITERS 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  HANDBOOKS 


CHICAGO 

POPULAR  MECHANICS  CO. 


THE  GETTY  CENTER 

LIBRARY 


THIS  book  is  one  of  the  series  of 
handbooks  on  industrial  subjects 
being  published  by  the  Popular 
Mechanics  Company.  Like  the 
Magazine,  these  books  are  “written 
so  you  can  understand  it,,J  and  are 
intended  to  furnish  information  on 
mechanical  subjects  at  a price  within 
the  reach  of  all. 

The  texts  and  illustrations  have 
been  prepared  expressly  for  this 
Handbook  Series,  by  experts;  are 
up-to-date,  and  have  been  revised  by 
the  editor  of  Popular  Mechanics. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Introduction  7 

Book  Ends 9 

Desk  Sets 15 

Blotting-Pad  Corners  16 

Paper  Knives  and  Letter  Openers .....20 

Stationery  Rack  23 

Rocking  Blotter  27 

Desk  Calendars  31 

Match  Boxes 35 

Tie  and  Pipe  Racks ....39 

Whisk  Broom  Holder 43 

Candle  Sconce 45 

Arts  and  Crafts  Jewelry 48 

Brooches 51 

Hatpins 54 

Tie  Pins  and  Cuff  Buttons 57 

Desk  Clocks 60 

Hinges  • . . . 65 

Drawer  Pulls  .68 

Letter  Holder  of  Pierced  Metal 73 

Watch  Fob  76 

Brass  Bookmark  78 

Photo  Silhouette  Brass  Plaques. 81 

Brass  Frame  in  Repousse.  . . 84 

Candlestick  87 


6 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


INTRODUCTION 

IT  is  the  intent  of  this  and  several  succeeding  articles 
to  point  out  a few  of  the  many  artistic  possibilities 
of  brass  etching  that  render  this  gentle  art  one  of  the 
most  fascinating  and  least  expensive  of  hobbies.  It 
is  fascinating  because  the  field  is  almost  without  limit. 
Book  ends,  on  which  is  etched  an  attractive  design  or 
favorite  quotation ; desk  sets,,  comprising  the  blotter 
corners,  stationery  rack,  calendar  and  paper  knife,  all 
etched  with  the  same  motif;  arts-and-crafts  jewelry, 
such  as  hatpins  and  watch  fobs ; pipe  and  tie  racks  and 
match  holders,  not  to  mention  the  many  plain  ham- 
mered brass  and  copper  pieces  that  may  be  purchased 
and  etched  in  all  manner  of  pretty  designs,  are  among 
the  many  practical  and  attractive  possibilities. 

This  art  is  fascinating  because  it  affords  the  worker 
every  opportunity  for  the  display  of  original  talent  in 
working  out  of  new  designs,  and  those  to  be  illustrated 
in  this  series  have  been  selected  not  so  much  on  ac- 
count of  any  particular  artistic  merit,  but  because  they 
are  suitable  for  the  amateur  and  serve  to  clearly  set 
forth  the  method  involved.  And  unless  we  may  hope 
to  so  instruct  the  reader  that  he  or  she  will  be  able  to 
apply  these  methods  to  the  carrying  out  of  new  ideas 
and  designs,  our  efforts,  we  .feel,  will  have  been  in 


8 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


vain.  For  a great  many,  there  is  undoubtedly  much 
pleasure  in  working  with  the  hands ; but,  when  the 
thing  made  is  the  product  of  one’s  own  originality,  this 
pleasure  is  doubled. 

Not  only  is  our  subject  truly  interesting,  but  the 
work  inexpensive  to  carry  on  and  does  not  require 
much  space.  Any  convenient  nook  or  corner  where 
may  be  kept  a few  jars  or  trays  of  glass  or  crockery, 
a bottle  of  nitric  acid,  a small  can  of  asphaltum  paint 
and  two  or  three  brushes,  is  about  all  that  is  necessary 
in  the  way  of  a workshop  to  initiate  the  beginner. 
As  the  work  proceeds,  the  results  will  become  more 
perfect  and  therefore  more  interesting,  so  that  the 
reader  will  not  hesitate  to  invest  in  such  few  tools  as 
the  constantly  increasing  scope  of  the  work  may  make 
necessary.  Remember,  however,  that  the  fascination 
of  any  of  the  crafts  lies  largely  in  the  doing  of  original 
work,  so  that  it  is  better  to  have  made  some  simple 
thing  of  an  original  design  than  to  make  a mere  copy 
of  something  more  elaborate.  If  one  is  on  the  look- 
out, a suggestion  for  a design  is  apt  to  turn  up  almost 
any  place,  and  among  the  advertisements  of  the  cur- 
rent magazines  or  in  labels  and  fancy  wrappers,  one 
may  find  an  idea  that  will  serve  as  the  starting  point 
for  several  original  designs. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  no  one  will  imagine  that  this 
series  has  anything  in  common  with  that  department- 
store,  brass-covered  woodenware  upon  which  the  de- 
sign or  pattern  is  already  clearly  stamped,  thus  leaving 
nothing  more  to  be  done  except  the  punching  of  this 
pattern  full  of  holes.  That  fixed  operation  permits  of 
no  originality,  requires  no  talent,  very  little  time  and 
a like  amount  of  intelligence. 


BOOK  ENDS 


LET  us  suppose  that  the  following  supplies  have 
been  purchased : About  a half-pound  bottle  of 

nitric  acid ; a like  amount  of  turpentine  or  kero- 
sene ; a few  cents’  worth  of  black  asphaltum  paint  or 
varnish ; a small  and  a large  water-color  brush ; ten 
cents’  worth  of  lacquer;  a sheet  of  carbon  paper,  and 
a piece  of  16  or  18-gauge  brass,  measuring  6 by  in. 


Fig.  1 — Effective  Book-End  Design 


A flat  file  and  a pair  of  tin  snips  will  be  required 
sooner  or  later  and  may  as  well  be  purchased  at  once. 

Square  up  the  sheet  of  brass  to  the  proper  dimen- 
sions, and  then  round  off  the  corners  rather  liberally. 
About  three  of  the  seven  inches  must  now  be  bent  to  a 
right  angle  to  form  the  base  portion.  This  operation 
should  be  done  over  the  sharp  edge  of  a table  or  be- 
tween two  pieces  of  wood  held  in  the  vise,  so  that  the 


9 


10 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


bend  may  be  uniform  along  its  entire  length.  Upon  a 
sheet  of  paper  make  a full-size  and  accurate  drawing 
of  the  design  to  be  etched,  and,  after  thoroughly  clean- 
ing the  surface  of  the  brass,  transfer  the  design  thereto 
by  means  of  the  carbon  transfer  paper,  taking  due  care 
to  keep  the  surface  clean  and  free  from  grease.  Now 
take  the  small  brush  and  see  that  the  asphaltum  paint 
is  of  such  a consistency  as  may  be  readily  and  accu- 
rately applied.  If  too  thick,  thin  with  turpentine,  and 
then  paint  out  all  that  portion  of  the  design  that  is  not 
to  be  etched.  The  larger  brush  will  now  be  useful  in 
expediting  the  application  of  the  paint  to  the  remain- 
ing portion  of  the  face  and  to  the  entire  back.  That  is, 
nothing  but  the  darker  portions  shown  in  the  illustra- 
tions should  be  left  uncovered.  After  the  paint  has 
thoroughly  dried,  which  may  take  from  eight  to  twelve 
hours,  the  piece  should  be  immersed  in  a solution  com- 
posed of  one  part  nitric  acid  to  two  parts  water.  In 
making  this  solution,  be  sure  to  pour  in  the  acid  last, 
or  painful  burns  and  damage  to  clothing  may  result. 
In  the  present  instance,  a glass  tray,  such  as  photogra- 
phers use,  will  be  found  convenient.  If  after  five  or  ten 
minutes  the  solution  should  bubble  rather  actively  and 
throw  off  heavy  greenish-yellow  fumes,  a little  water 
should  be  added.  The  duration  of  the  etching  process 
will  vary  from  one  to  four  hours,  depending  on  the 
strength  of  the  solution  and  the  composition  of  the 
metal.  Until  a little  experience  has  been  gained,  it  will 
be  well  to  lift  the  brass  from  the  solution  every  now 
and  then  to  see  how  the  etching  is  progressing.  As 
soon  as  the  required  depth  has  been  obtained,  remove 
the  piece,  rinse  it  off,  and  then  remove  the  asphaltum 
by  means  of  a rag  after  a good  soaking  in  kerosene. 
Finally  wash  with  soap  and  water,  and  dry.  In  order 
that  the  design  may  show  up,  the  contrast  between 


11 


12 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


the  etched  and  unetched  portions  must  be  developed 
by  means  of  some  oxidizing  agent  such  as  a strong 
solution  of  butter  of  antimony,  which  soon  darkens 
the  clean  surface  of  the  metal.  The  high  lights  are 
then  rubbed  up  with  pumice  or  a piece  of  old  emery 
cloth,  after  which  a uniform  coat  of  lacquer  should 
be  put  on,  so  as  to  render  the  effect  permanent. 


Fig.  3 — Outline  Suggestions  for  Book  Ends 

Four  additional  designs  for  book  ends  are  illus- 
trated, and  the  line  drawing  (Fig.  3)  gives  a few  sug- 
gestions in  the  way  of  different  outlines.  Referring 
to  the  former,  the  design  shown  in  Fig.  2 B,  at  the 
bottom,  requires  considerable  hammer  work,  as  the 
outer  edge  is  bent  over  and  hammered  down  all  the 
way  around  the  top  and  sides,  and  the  center  portion 
is  beaten  out. 


13 


DESK  SETS 


ONE  of  the  most  interesting  tasks  in  connection 
with  amateur  metal  work  is  that  of  making  a 
desk  set,  comprising  the  four  corners  for  the  desk  pad, 
a paper  knife,  a rocking  blotter,  a calendar,  and  such 
other  articles  as  may  be  desired.  The  same  general 
idea  should,  of  course,  characterize  the  designs  or  pat- 
terns etched  on  the  various  pieces  of  the  set,  and  may 
often  be  worked  out  on  pieces  that  have  been  pur- 
chased. For  instance,  a simple  little  oblong  brass 
tray  may  be  appropriately  etched  and  when  placed 
among  the  other  pieces  on  the  desk  looks,  for  all  the 
world,  as  though  it  had  been  there  from  the  first. 

These  sets  may  be  made  from  either  brass  or  copper, 
the  latter  costing  about  25  per  cent  more  than  the 
former,  which,  however,  is  a small  consideration,  as  the 
entire  cost  of  the  required  amount  of  either  is  quite 
small.  If  brass  is  used,  the  coloring  may  be  done  by 
butter  of  antimony  as  previously  described  in  the 
case  of  the  book  end ; but  for  copper,  a solution  made 
by  dissolving  about  a teaspoonful  of  potassium  sul- 
phide in  four  ounces  of  water  should  be  used.  Polish 
up  a scrap  of  the  metal  and  then  test  the  solution  thus 
made  before  using  it  on  something  important. 

The  following  pieces  will  be  described  in  the  order 
stated : 

Corners  for  Blotting  Pad 
Paper  Knives 
Stationery  Racks 
Rocking  Blotters 
Calendars. 


15 


BLOTTING-PAD  CORNERS 

THE  size  of  the  corners  for  the  desk  pad  vary  from 
three  to  four  inches  on  a side,  according  to  the 
dimensions  of  the  pad  or  on  account  of  the  design  to 
be  etched  on  them.  These  can  be  most  conveniently 
and  economically 
worked  up  in.  pairs. 

The  reason  for  this  will 
be  evident  upon  an  in- 
spection  of  the  line 
drawing  (Fig'.  6), 
which  gives  the  size 
and  shape  of  the  metal 
necessary  to  make  one 
pair.  After  the  etch- 
ing, the  bending  will  be 
done  along  the  dotted 
lines,  and  the  square 
cut  in  two  diagonally. 

Lay  out  the  pattern  to 
be  etched  full  size,  and 
after  cleaning  the  sur- 
face to  be  etched  with 
mineral  wool  or  old 
emery  cloth,  transfer  it 
thereto  by  means  of  the  carbon  transfer  paper.  Keep 
the  surface  free  from  grease.  Paint  out  the  portions 
that  are  not  to  be  etched  with  the  asphaltum  paint,  and 
allow  it  to  dry  over  night.  In  passing,  it  may  be  stated 


Jecfional  View 

Fig.  6— Cutting  a “Pair”  of  Corners 


16 


17 


18 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


that  some  workers  prefer  beeswax  to  the  asphaltum, 
as  it  permits  the  etching  process  to  proceed  without 
any  intermission  for  drying.  This  material,  however, 
must  be  kept  warm  while  being  used  and  the  painting 
carried  on  rapidly,  as  the  wax  sets  almost  instantly. 

When  the  asphaltum  is  dry,  proceed  with  the  etch- 
ing, and  gauge  the  strength  of  the  solution  of  nitric 
acid  to  such  a point  that  Only  moderate  bubbles  will 
arise  after  five  or  ten  minutes’  immersion.  Soak  the 
piece  in  kerosene  when  sufficient  depth  has  been  etched 
and  then  remove  the  asphaltum  with  a rag,  finally 
cleaning  with  soap  and  water.  The  square  should  now 
be  cut  diagonally  and  the  two  triangles  hammered 
perfectly  flat  preparatory  to  bending  the  edges.  For 
bending  and  forming  sheet  metal,  the  professional 
metal  worker  has  what  is  called  a “bench  plate”  which 
is  merely  a socket  into  which  may  be  fitted  vertical 
irons  called  “stakes,”  these  being  variously  shaped  on 
their  upper  ends  according  to  the  duty  they  are  to 
perform.  In  the  present  instance  the  smoothing  stake, 
having  a flat  surface  on  top,  would  be  selected,  and, 
while  the  major  portion  of  the  triangle  is  firmly  held 
down,  the  overhanging  edge  would  be  bent  over  with 
a mallet.  An  ordinary  flatiron,  however,  answers 
every  purpose,  provided  it  is  securely  held  with  the 
face  up.  Where  an  ordinary  carpenter’s  vise  is  at 
hand,  excellent  bending  may  be  done  by  clamping  the 
work  between  hardwood  strips.  If  the  metal  is  not 
real  soft,  so  that  it  bends  easily,  heat  it  over  a gas 
flame  and  then  plunge  into  cold  water.  When  the 
edges  have  been  bent  clear.over,  there  should  remain 
a space  of  about  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch,  depending 
upon  the  thickness  of  the  upper  layer  of  the  blotting 
pad.  The  corners  may  now  be  thoroughly  cleaned 
with  mineral  wool,  or  pumice  and  lye  water,  after 


BLOTTING-PAD  CORNERS 


19 


which  the  coloring  solution  previously  described 
should  be  applied.  Rub  up  the  high  lights  and  when 
the  desired  effect  has  been  produced,  flow  on  a uni- 
form coat  of  lacquer — and  our  corners  are  complete. 

If  the  reader  desires  to  make  the  blotting  pad  also, 
inspect  some  on  exhibition  at  the  stationery  store  so 
as  to  get  all  possible  pointers.  The  pad.  usually  about 
14  by  22  in.,  should  be  in  two  layers  or  sections,  so 
that  the  upper  one  may  be  raised  at  the  corners  and 
the  bent-over  edges  of  the  metal  corners  inserted, 
after  which  the  whole  may  be  made  secure  again  with 
glue.  The  sectional  view  clearly  shows  this  feature. 


1 


PAPER  KNIVES  AND  LETTER 
OPENERS 

PAPER  knives  and  letter  openers  may  be  made  in 
lengths  varying  from  5 to  10  in.  Where  the  open- 
ing of  letters  is  the  principal  duty,  a rather  short  im- 
plement will  answer  every  purpose,  but  where  the 
uncut  leaves  of  books  and  magazines  are  to  be  dealt 
with,  a longer  knife  is  desirable. 

The  simplest  type  to  make  is  illustrated  in  the 
fourth  one  from  the  top  in  the  set  of  six,  which  consists 
of  nothing  more  than  a tapering  strip  of  16-gauge 
metal,  on  both  sides  of  which  an  appropriate  design  is 
etched.  The  first  two  knives  are  made  from  quite  heavy 
metal,  which  is  filed  thinner  and  slightly  rounding  for 
the  blade  portion.  This  is  not  so  tedious  a process  as 
one  might  suppose,  provided  a good  sharp  file  is  used. 
The  piece  should  then  be  smoothed  up  with  a fine-tooth 
file  and  finished  with  emery  cloth.  The  lower  two 
knives  are  made  from  hard  wood  and  have  a small 
etched  plate  on  each  side  of  the  handle.  The  wood 
should,  if  possible,  be  the  same  as  that  of  the  desk  top 
on  which  it  is  to  be  used,  and  similarly  finished.  When 
this  has  been  made  ready,  prepare  the  two  small  plates 
from  No.  20-gauge  brass  or  copper  and  thoroughly 
scour  them,  after  which  the  design  should  be  drawn 
out  on  paper  and  then  transferred  to  the  metal,  which 
in  the  meantime  must  be  kept  clean  from  grease. 
With  the  asphaltum,  paint  out  all  those  parts  that  are 
to  remain  unetched,  including  the  backs ; and,  when 
thoroughly  dry,  immerse  in  the  two-to-one  nitric-acid 


20 


21 


22  METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 

solution.  In  the  case  of  the  all-metal  knives,  the 
paint  need  not  be  applied  all  over,  unless  the  whole  is 
to  be  dipped. 

In  coloring  copper,  many  beautiful  effects  may  be 
obtained  after  a little  experience  by  simply  heating 
over  a gas  flame.  Iridescent  effects,  purples  and  chest- 
nut browns  will  all  show  up  one  after  another,  and 
when  the  desired  result  has  been  secured,  withdraw 
the  metal  from  above  the  flame  and  set  aside  to  cool. 
The  high  lights  should  then  be  rubbed  up  and  the 
result  made  permanent  by  a coat  of  lacquer. 


STATIONERY  RACK 


BESIDES  being  employed  for  the  purpose  indicated 
by  its  name,  the  stationery  rack  also  serves  to 
hold  the  unanswered  letters  and  other  papers  that  are 
to  be  attended  to  in  a few  days. 

Our  illustration  shows  three  ways  of  constructing 
this  article,  and  the  line  drawing  gives  all  necessary 
dimensions,  except  the  gauge  of  the  metal,  which 
should  be  No.  18.  The  left-hand  rack  is  composed  of 
three  pieces — front,  back  and  base — all  securely 
riveted  together.  This  type  is  preferable  where  only 
a narrow  rack  is  required,  as  the  separate  base  pro- 
vides the  necessary  stability.  In  bending  the  base, 
take  due  care  to  have  it  of  uniform  shape  along  its 
entire  length,  and  then  round  off  the  corners.  The 
front  and  back  should  now  be  squared  up,  allowing 
about  a half  inch  for  bending  over  to  connect  with 
the  base.  Do  this  bending  over  the  sharp  edge  of  a 
table  while  the  sheet  is  held  down  with  a block  of 
wood.  The  design  for  the  front  should  now  be  taken 
into  consideration  and  when  decided  upon  is  to  be 
neatly  drawn  full  size  upon  paper.  After  thoroughly 
cleaning  the  surface  of  the  metal,  transfer  the  design 
thereto  by  means  of  the  carbon  transfer  paper,  and 
then  proceed  with  the  painting  out  of  the  parts  that 
are  to  remain  unetched,  using  the  asphaltum,  thinned 
to  the  proper  working  consistency  with  turpentine. 
When  dry,  immerse  in  the  etching  solution  (nitric 
acid  one  and  water  two  parts)  and  during  the  progress 


23 


6 


S'M 


U^j 


Fig.  9— Details  of  Stationery-Rack  Construction 


24 


25 


26 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


of  the  work  carefully  avoid  the  inhalation  of  the 
fumes,  which  to  some  are  peculiarly  irritating.  In  the 
meantime  rivet  the  back  and  base  together.  After 
three  or  four  hours,  when  the  etching  will  have  been 
completed,  remove  the  paint  with  kerosene  and  thor- 
oughly clean  the  metal.  In  either  brass  or  copper  a 
very  fine  verdigris  effect  may  be  obtained  by  an  appli- 
cation of  the  following  solution : Dissolve  about  50 

gr.  each  of  copper  nitrate,  ammonia  chloride  and  cal- 
cium chloride  in  3 oz.  water.  The  unetched  portions 
may  be  rubbed  up  bright  with  a little  pumice  or  very 
fine  emery  cloth,  after  which  an  application  of  lacquer 
will  preserve  the  effect  indefinitely.  In  trying  a new 
solution,  the  reader  will,  of  course,  appreciate  the  ad- 
visability of  trying  it  on  a small  scrap  before  under- 
taking to  finish  such  a piece  as  our  rack. 

The  center  design  of  the  illustration  is  composed 
of  but  two  pieces ; viz.,  the  back,  which  is  bent  under 
to  form  the  bottom,  and  the  front,  which  is  riveted  to 
the  forward  edge  of  the  bottom.  From  what  has  al- 
ready been  said,  the  reader  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
working  out  this  rack.  The  making  of  the  rivet  holes 
in  these  racks  will  necessitate  the  use  of  a small  hand 
drill,  a tool  that  may  be  purchased  for  less  than  a 
doliar  and  one  that  will  be  found  very  useful  in  almost 
any  kind  of  arts-and-crafts  work. 

The  right-hand  design  is  made  from  one  piece  of 
metal.  In  making  the  first  bend,  no  difficulty  will  be 
encountered,  but  in  the  second  one,  some  little  care 
will  be  necessary  in  order  to  have  the  base  perfectly 
flat.  Other  than  this,  the  work  will  proceed  as  in  the 
two  previous  racks. 


I 


ROCKING  BLOTTER 

now  come  to  a rather  interesting  feature  of 
our  desk  set — the  rocking  blotter,  of  which  we 
illustrate  three  variations.  The  one  to  the  left  is  the 
simplest  of  all,  consisting  of  but  two  pieces  of  metal, 
the  top  one  of  which  is  bent  over  at  each  end,  so  that 
when  the  curved  portion,  covered  with  blotting  paper, 
is  sprung  into  place  it  will  be  securely  held.  The  top 
in  this  case  should  be  of  No.  16-gauge  brass  or  copper 
and  the  bottom  of  20-gauge  spring  brass  or  bronze. 
In  the  right-hand  design,  the  side  edges  of  the  top  are 
also  bent  down,  which  gives  the  blotter  a more  solid 
appearance  and  permits  of  using  a lighter  gauge.  The 
third  design  is  provided  with  a knob,  which  may  be 
of  hard  wood,  ebony  preferred,  or  else  in  the  form  of  a 
small  metal  handle  fastened  in  place  with  rivets.  All 
dimensions  are  given  in  the  line  drawing,  except  for 
the  length  of  the  spring  bottom,  which  is  4%  in.  The 
various  bends  are  indicated  by  the  dotted  lines. 

The  most  important  point  in  the  construction  is  to 
secure  good  sharp  bends,  which  can  only  be  accom- 
plished by  having  the  metal  soft,  a condition  that  is 
easily  arrived  at  by  heating  the  brass  or  copper  over 
a gas  flame  and  plunging  into  water.  When  all  bend- 
ing and  filing  has  been  satisfactorily  completed  and 
the  metal  made  clean,  lay  out  the  desired  design  on  a 
sheet  of  paper  and  then  transfer  it  to  the  top.  Paint 
out  the  portions  that  are  not  to  be  etched,  using  the 
asphaltum  or  the  regular  etching  enamel  as  sold  by 


27 


30 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


dealers  in  manual  training  supplies,  and  then  proceed 
with  the  etching  in  the  two-to-one  nitric-acid  solution. 
The  etching  completed,  the  paint  may  be  removed  by 
kerosene,  after  which  the  metal  is  to  be  thoroughly 
cleaned.  The  coloring,  in  the  oxidized  or  verdigris 
effect  as  desired,  is  now  to  be  attended  to,  and  made 
permanent  by  coating  with  lacquer. 

Those  who  do  not  care  to  take  up  the  etching  may 
make  a very  good  desk  set  by  adopting  the  hammered- 
copper  or  the  brushed-brass  effect  throughout.  The 
former  is  produced  with  the  ball  end  of  the  “ball-pein” 
hammer,  and  is  accentuated  by  coloring  and  then  rub- 
bing the  higher  portions  brighter.  The  brass  effect  is 
simply  a matter  of  uniformly  rubbing  with  emery  cloth 
in  the  same  direction,  and  is  often  termed  “lemon” 
brass. 

The  reader,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  not  mistake  our 
motive  in  showing  so  many  different  patterns  and 
neglect  to  have  each  and  every  piece  of  his  set  har- 
moniously etched.  The  patterns  already  shown  have 
been  given  considerable  variety  to  serve  as  sugges- 
tions, but  all  the  pieces  of  any  one  set  should  have  a 
like  motif  running  through  all  the  designs  of  the 
several  pieces. 


DESK  CALENDARS 


nn  HE  small  calendar  in  the ’center  of  our  illustration 
is  a very  simple  affair;  a single  piece  of  brass  or 
copper  is  bent  at  an  angle  to  form  a base,  and,  after 
etching  some  appropriate  design  on  the  upper  portion, 
the  pad  from  a small  calendar  is  attached  with  shellac 
or  varnish.  This  form  of  calendar  may  be  made  as 
small  and  dainty  as  desired,  so  we  need  not  give  any 
dimensions. 

In  the  other  form  of  calendar  illustrated,  we  have 
greater  opportunity  for  artistic  treatment.  The  sheet 
of  metal  should  be  about  6 in.  square.  Accurately  lay 
out  the  rectangular  opening  in  the  center  and  tnen 
cut  it  out  with  a small  metal  saw  similar  to  those  used 
by  jewelers.  The  purchase  of  this  saw  is  not  abso- 
lutely necessary  at  this  time,  as  the  opening  may  be 
cut  with  a cold  chisel  and  finished  with  the  file,  or  else 
it  may  be  etched  out ; but  such  a saw  must  be  procured 
before  we  reach  the  end  of  our  series.  After  thor- 
oughly cleaning  the  metal,  transfer  the  design  to  it 
from  the  piece  of  paper  upon  which  it  has  been  pre- 
viously drawn  out  in  pencil.  Paint  out  the  not-to-be- 
etched  portions,  including  the  back  and  base,  with  the 
asphaltum  paint,  and  then  go  on  with  the  etching  in 
the  usual  manner,  using  a photographer’s  developing 
tray.  After  some  three  or  four  hours,  as  required,  re- 
move, and  clean  off  the  paint  with  kerosene. 

In  order  to  hold  the  leaves  or  cards  of  the  calendar 
proper,  we  must  solder  onto  the  back  three  bent  strips 


31 


32  METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 

as  indicated  at  A in  the  working  drawing.  Bend  these 
up  from  thin  metal,  and  then  thoroughly  scour  them 
and  the  back  with  emery  cloth.  This  brings  us  to 
the  feature  of  soldering,  which  will  prove  surprisingly 
simple  if  gone  about  correctly.  The  art  of  soft  solder- 
ing is  one  that  has  no  end  of  uses  among  the  various 
handicrafts  and  should  be  among  the  accomplishments 
of  every  amateur.  The  fluxing  solution  may  be  pur- 
chased, or  made  as  follows : In  a few  cents’  worth  of 


Figf.  13 — Detail  of  Desk  Calendar 


muriatic  acid  dissolve  as  many  pieces  of  scrap  zinc  as 
possible  and  then  strain  the  solution,  which  may  then 
be  used  to  solder  any  ordinary  metal,  except  alumi- 
num. Some  wire  solder  having  been  procured, 
moisten  the  two  pieces  to  be  joined  with  the  above 
solution  and  place  a few  small  pieces  of  the  solder  in 
position.  If  the  metal  is  thoroughly  clean  and  is  now 
held  over  (not  in)  a gas  flame,  in  a few  minutes  the 
solder  will  flow  all  through  the  connection.  A solder- 
ing iron  may  be  used  instead  of  the  flame,  but  the  lat- 


33 


34 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


ter,  or  else  a blowpipe,  is  the  better  way.  Having  se- 
cured these  three  strips  to  hold  the  cards,  the  face 
should  be  cleaned  up  and  treated  with  either  the  dark- 
ening or  verdigris  solution  previously  described.  The 
design  is  now  to  be  accentuated  by  rubbing  up  the 
higher  portions;  after  which  a uniform  coat  of  lacquer, 
or  banana  oil  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  should  be  ap- 
plied to  render  the  effect  lasting. 


I 


MATCH  BOXES 


BEFORE  going  further  let  us  recapitulate  what  has 
been  said  in  regard  to  the  various  finishes  that 
are  possible.  The  simplest  finish  for  brass  or  cop- 
per is  the  hammered  effect  with  the  higher  portions 
rubbed  up  bright.  Lemon  or  brushed  brass  comes 
next  and  may  be  produced  by  a uniform  treatment 
.with  emery  cloth.  With  a little  experience,  beautiful 
iridescent  and  chestnut-colored  effects  may  be  secured 
upon  copper  by  merely  heating  to  the  proper  degree. 
Very  dark  effects  ranging  from  brown  to  black  are  se- 
cured on  copper  by  a solution  of  potassium  sulphide 
and  water : a teaspoonful  of  the  former  to  four  ounces 
of  the  latter.  On  brass,  similar  effects  are  produced 
by  a strong  solution  of  butter  of  antimony.  Verdigris 
effects  on  both  metals  are  made  with  the  solution  pre- 
viously given ; viz.,  copper  nitrate,  ammonium  chloride 
and  calcium  chloride,  50  gr.  each  in  4 oz.  of  water.  In 
all  these  effects  the  high  lights  are  to  be  rubbed  up 
bright  as  desired  and  the  result  made  permanent  by  a 
coat  of  lacquer. 

We  now  come  to  the  rather  practical  subject  of 
match  boxes,  which,  as  shown  by  our  illustration, 
may  be  made  quite  attractive  and  in  great  variety. 
With  the  exception  of  the  trough-shaped  box,  the 
boxes  proper  are  all  of  the  same  size  and  are  made 
from  a single  piece  of  brass  or  copper  of  the  form 
shown  in  the  working  drawing.  After  cutting  to 
shape,  a little  careful  bending  completes  the  opera- 


35 


h-3~1 


Figr.  IS — Details  of  Match  Holders 


Fig.  14 — Designs  for  Match  Boxes 


37 


38 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


tion.  Heat  the  metal  over  a gas  flame  if  not  sufficiently 
soft,  and  then  plunge  it  into  water.  The  box  thus 
formed  may  be  etched  with  some  simple  design  before 
fastening  to  the  wood,  or  else  may  be  left  plain  and  the 
wood  decorated  with  a separate  plate  appropriately 
etched.  The  various  forms  illustrated  are  sufficiently 
numerous  to  enable  the  reader  to  make  an  attractive 
match  holder  suitable  both  in  size  and  form  to  the 
wall  space  available.  Sometimes  two  boxes  are  placed 
on  the  same  block  of  wood,  one  for  used  and  the  other 
for  unused  matches.  A small  metal  frame,  such  as  is 
used  to  hold  cards  on  the  front  of  office  drawers,  is 
a serviceable  addition,  as  it  accommodates  a piece  of 
emery  cloth  for  striking  purposes.  When  worn,  the 
emery  may  be  readily  renewed.  Such  a match  holder 
is  shown  in  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  illus- 
tration. 

The  process  of  etching  will,  of  course,  be  carried  on 
as  previously  described. 


TIE  AND  PIPE  RACKS 


T N tie  'and  pipe  racks  we  have  two  more  useful  little 
articles  illustrative  of  the  possibilities  of  simple 
metal  etching.  Of  course,  a little  woodwork  is 
also  necessary,  but  this  is  so  simple  as  to  require  but 
little  time.  Oak  is  probably  the  most  appropriate 
wood,  except  where  the  surrounding  woodwork  would 
fail  to  harmonize. 

..  Tie  Racks — The  upper  rack  necessitates  a piece 
of  wood  measuring  4%  by  14  in.,  the  corners  of  which 
should  be  uniformly  rounded,  but  with  the  edges 
sharp  and  square.  A piece  of  metal  rod — brass  or 
copper,  according  to  the  metal  to  be  used  for  the 
etched  plate — should  be  procured  and  doubly  bent  at 
each  end  so  as  to  fit  into  two  holes  bored  into  the 
lower  edge  of  the  board.  Unless  a long  narrow  tray 
is  at  hand  in  which  to  etch  the  plate,  the  arrangement 
illustrated  in  the  case  of  the  long  pipe  rack  should  be 
adopted.  That  is,  use  two  smaller  plates  with  a match 
holder  in  between.  In  either  case,  first  draw  out  the 
design  to  be  etched  full  size  and  then  transfer  it  to 
the  metal  with  the  carbon  transfer  paper.  The  paint- 
ing out  of  the  not-to-be-etched  portions — that  is,  the 
lighter  portions  in  the  illustrations — with  the  asphal- 
tum  paint  should  now  commence,  using  a.  No.  2 or  3 
size  water-color  brush.  Allow  the  etching  to  pro- 
ceed at  a moderate  rate,  and  if  many  bubbles  arise, 
add  water  to  the  solution.  Kerosene  will  facilitate  the 
removal  of  the  paint ; after  which  wash  with  soap  and 


40  METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 

water,  and  color  with  any  of  the  solutions  previously 
described.  Attach  the  plate  with  four  brass  screws 
or  nails — and  our  rack  is  complete. 

In  making  the  smaller  tie  rack  the  work  should  not 
commence  until  the  large  wooden  towel  ring  has  been 


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Figf.  17 -Details  of  Pipe  and  Tie  Racks 

procured,  so  that  the  back  board  may  be  made  of  the 
proper  width.  A loop  of  leather,-  secured  under  a 
small  metal  plate,  serves  to  hold  the  ring  in  place.  A 
variant,  of  this  article  consists  in  substituting  a match 
holder  for  the  etched  plate,  or  a large  brass  or  copper 
ring  for  the  wooden  one. 

Pipe  Racks — Although  the  carpentry  work  in  con- 
nection with  the  pipe  racks  is  very  simple,  some 
little  care  will  be  necessary  in  order  to  get  holes  with 


41 


42 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


good  sharp  edges  and  without  splinters  being  torn  off 
along  the  surface.  When  the  two  pieces  have  been 
trimmed  to  the  proper  shape  and  thoroughly  sanded, 
they  should  be  connected  with  glue  and  a few  wire 
nails  set  in  from  behind.  A coat  of  stain  is  then  to  be 
applied  and  followed  by  a vigorous  rubbing  with  wax, 
unless  a high  finish  is  desired,  in  which  case  the  usual 
varnish  will  be  used.  The  dimensions  and  shape  of 
the  piece  of  metal  for  the  match  holder  were  previ- 
ously given,  and  the  etching  of  the  plate  will  proceed 
as  in  the  case  of  the  tie  rack  above. 


ituinmittiinrimiiriftiimniffifiHiHniiitniinniHi 


WHISK  BROOM  HOLDER 


ANOTHER  of  the  many  attractive  household 
articles  that  may  be  made  at  the  cost  of  a few 
cents  is  the  whisk-broom 
holder.  In  the  design 
illustrated,  the  back 
board  has  beveled  edges 
and  bears  a brass  or  cop- 
per plate  etched  with  a 
simple  design,  under 
which  is  fastened  a bent 
^trip  of  the  same  metal 
to  hold  the  broom.  If 
desired,  the  metal  plate 
may  be  replaced  with  a 
match  holder  or  even  a 
small  mirror,  in  which 
case  the  etching  will  be 
confined  to  the  strip  that 
holds  the  whisk-broom. 

A sufficient  number 
of  these  household  arti- 
cles have  been  described 
and  illustrated  to  put 
any  amateur  craftsman 
on  the  road  to  the  artis- 
tic solution  of  many  of 
the  little  problems  in  Fie  18_Whisk  Broora  Holder 
decoration  and  furnish- 
ing that  come  up  from  time  to  time.  Any  of  the  de- 
signs described  for  other  articles  may  be  used  on 


43 


44 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


these  holders  by  adapting  them  in  size  and  form. 
Slight  modifications  or  an  original  method  of  handling 


Fig.  19— Details  of  Whisk  Broom  Holder 

the  same  subjects  will  give  them  a touch  of  individ- 
uality which  is  its  own  reward. 


CANDLE  SCONCE 


A LTHOUGH  the  woodwork  may  seem  to  be  the 
^ most  conspicuous  part  of  this  candle  sconce,  it 
will,  in  reality,  occupy  but  a small  portion  of  our 
time.  There  are  four  pieces  of  wood ; viz.,  the  back, 
the  shelf  and  two  brackets,  all  of  which  may  be  readily 
prepared  by  anyone  who  can  make  fair  use  of  the  saw 
and  plane.  A little  care  will  be  necessary  to  have  the 
four  edges  beveled  off  to  exactly  the  same  extent. 
Nail  the  shelf  in  place  and  then  the  brackets,  setting 
in  all  nails  from  behind  and  supplementing  them  with 
a little  glue.  Stain  as  desired,  and  then  thoroughly 
rub  with  wax. 

A suitable  little  brass  or  copper  pan  to  catch  the 
drippings  can  usually  be  picked  up  at  the  stores ; if 
not,  one  must  be  hammered  up  from  a disk  of  the 
metal  duly  softened.  Gradually  work  the  edge  over, 
turning  the  disk  slightly  between  each  stroke  of  the 
hammer.  To  hold  the  candle,  we  must  prepare  two 
strips  about  % in.  wide  and  5 in.  long,  each  of  which 
is  bent  U-shape  and  riveted  to  the  bottom  of  the  metal 
drip  pan.  By  this  means  we  provide  four  upward- 
projecting  pieces,  which  may  be  adjusted  by  bending 
so  as  to  firmly  hold  the  candle.  The  back  plate  or  re- 
flector should,  of  course,  be  of  the  same  metal  as  the 
drip  pan,  and  may  be  left  plain  or  else  have  an  ellip- 
tical strip  etched  around  it  as  shown.  This  feature 
may  be  further  varied  by  cutting  the  sheet  in  some 
other  form  than  the  rectangular.  The  etching  in  this 


45 


46  METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 

case  will  prove  a very  simple  matter,  and  whichever 
of  the  previously  described  coloring  or  oxidizing  so- 
lutions  is  employed,  be  sure  to  have  at  least  the  cen- 
tral portion  of  the  reflecting  plate  rubbed  up  bright 
and  evenly  lacquered. 

If  it  is  desired  to  make  an  electric  candle  sconce. 


the  drip  tray  should  be  dispensed  with  and  an  ordi- 
nary electric  socket  set  up  in  place.  This  should  then 
be  completely  boxed  in  with  thin  pieces  of  wood, 
through  which  the  operating  key  will  project.  The 
top  of  this  small  concealing  box  should  not  be  less 
than  % in.  thick,  and  project  over  the  sides  by  a like 
amount.  A central  hole  is  also  to  be  cut  therein  to  al- 
low the  frosted  electric  candle  to  be  screwed  into  the 
socket. 


47 


ARTS  AND  CRAFTS  JEWELRY 


FOR  those  who  imagine  that  gold  and  diamonds  are 
essential  to  the  artistic,  it  would  probably  be  dif- 
ficult to  explain  just  why  arts-and-crafts  jewelry 
is  enjoying  its  present  vogue.  That  is,  why  scarf 
pins,  cuff  buttons,  watch  fobs  and  the  like,  made  from 
such  a common  and  inexpensive  metal  as  brass,  un- 
plated and  with  a seeming  lack  of  workmanship, 
should  be  worn.  Modern  jewelry  is  a great  creator 
of  suspicion,  so  perfect  is  the  cheap  plated  article  in 
appearance ; but  the  arts-and-crafts  pieces  are  dis- 
tinctive and  make  no  pretense  to  qualities  and  values 
they  do  not  possess.  And  it  is  this  suggestion  of  hon- 
esty, we  imagine,  that  makes  them  popular. 

A few  simple  designs  will  be  given  in  order  to  ac- 
quaint the  reader  with  the  general  method  and  the 
various  fittings  that  may  be  so  reasonably  purchased. 

Watch  Fobs — The  watch  fob  is  probably  the  sim- 
plest of  the  articles  of  jewelry.  Not  only  is  there 
an  endless  variety  possible  in  the  way  of  shape,  but 
also  in  the  etched  design,  which  may  be  given  quite 
an  individual  touch  by  adapting  a college  letter  or  in- 
itials, the  insignia  of  a society  or  the  monogram. 
Brass  is  the  preferable  metal  and  should  not  be  thin- 
ner than  No.  18  gauge.  Cut  to  the  proper  shape  with 
the  tin  snips  or  cold  chisel,  file  the  edges,  and  then 
thoroughly  clean  with  emery  cloth.  As  the  design  is 
small,  be  rather  accurate  in  laying  it  out  on  the  paper 
preparatory  to  transferring  it  to  the  metal.  For  the 


48 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


50 


same  reason  the  painting  out  of  the  edges  and  the 
raised  portions  will  also  have  to  proceed  rather  slowly 
and  with  some  little  care. 

When  the  etching  is  sufficiently  deep,  remove  the 
asphaltum  paint  with  kerosene  and  then  wash  with 
soap  and  water.  The  slot  for  the  strap  or  ribbon  must 

now  be  cut  by  means  of  the 
small  metal  saw  mentioned 
in  connection  with  the  desk 
calendar.  A hole  must  be 
drilled  in  order  to  start  the 
saw.  To  connect  the  fob 
and  watch,  a plain  strip 
of  leather  having  a longitu- 
dinal cut  in  each  end  to 
serve  as  loons  may  be  used ; 
or  else  the  customary  ribbon 
may  be  fitted  up  with  the 
regular  mounting  illustrated, 
which  costs  20  cents,  gold 
filled.  The  verdigris  effect 
is  preferable  as  a finish,  and 
if  the  design  is  appropriate, 
the  central  portion  should  be  raised  by  placing  the  fob 
face  down  on  wood  and  beating  it  with  the  ball  end  of 
the  hammer. 


BROOCHES 


BEFORE  proceeding'  with  the  etching  of  brooches, 
we  wish  to  draw  the  reader’s  attention  to  what 
may  be  had  in  the  way  of  fittings,  as  illustrated  in 
the  accompanying  sketch.  The  pin  stem  and  two  fast- 
enings can  be  had  in  sizes  running  from  1%  to  3 in. 
and  at  prices  ranging  from  two  to  five  cents. 

In  the  smaller  brooches  it  will  be  almost  impossible 
to  accurately  transfer  the  designs  from  the  paper  to  the 
metal  in  the  usual  manner,  in  consequence  of  which  it 
will  generally  be  found  best  to  select  a piece  of  brass 
large  enough  for  several  pieces  (composing,  for  in- 
stance, a uniform  set  of  different  sizes)'  and,  after 
scouring  the  metal  up  bright  with  old  emery  cloth 
mark  out  the  designs  with  a fine  pencil  point  and  then 
scratch  them  so  that  they  will  not  be  effaced  when  the 
piece  is  cleaned  preparatory  to  painting.  This  latter 
operation  will  require  a very  fine  brush,  say,  a No. 
1 size  with  sable  hair;  and  the  asphaltum  should 
be  thinned  with  turpentine  to  the  best  working  con- 
sistency. Paint  the  back  also.  Any  slight  irregular- 
ities may  be  removed  by  scraping  when  the  paint  is 
dry.  When  the  etching  is  complete  and  the  paint  has 
been  removed,  the  several  pieces  may  be  sawn  apart 
and  the  edges  trimmed  off  with  the  file,  taking  due 
care  all  the  while  not  to  mar  the  etching.  Thoroughly 
clean  the  backs,  place  the  pin-stem  fastenings  in  place, 
apply  the  muriatic-acid  soldering  solution  and  some 
small  specks  of  solder  at  the  required  points,  and  heat 


51 


BROOCHES 


53 


over  a gas  flame  until  the  solder  flows  freely  all 
through  the  connections.  Wash  with  soap  and  water, 
and  then  apply  the  verdigris  solution,  the  formula  for 


Fig.  25 — Pin  Stems  and  Fastenings  for  Brooches 


which  was  previously  given.  After  rubbing  up  the 
high  lights,  a coat  of  lacquer  completes  the  brooch. 


HATPINS 


IN  the  matter  of  hatpins,  the  dealer  in  manual  train- 
ing supplies  once  more  comes  to  our  assistance, 
and  for  the  price  of  two  or  three  cents  furnishes  us 
with  a nice  long  hatpin  stem,  pointed  on  one  end  and 
fitted  with  a large,  flat,  thin  head  on  the  other,  as  il- 
lustrated. When  the  head  of  the  pin  has  been-  etched 
along  the  lines  suggested  by  the  accompanying  de- 
sign, it  will  then  be  soldered  to  the  smaller  head  that 
is  a part  of  the  pin  stem.  If  the  two  pieces  are  bright 
and  clean,  moisten  with  the  soldering  solution,  place  a 
very  small  piece  of  solder  in  place,  and  then  hold  over  a 
gas  flame  until  the  solder  flows  freely. 

As  to  size  and  shape  of  hatpin  heads,  there  is  no  rule. 
The  eight  specimens  illustrated  will  serve  to  set  forth 
the  general  idea  of  arts-and-crafts  hatpins,  which  may 
be  made  in  brass  or  copper  and  finished  in  the  oxidized 
or  verdigris  effects,  the  latter  in  connection  with  brass 
being  preferable.  As  suggested  in  the  case  of  watch 
fobs,  the  design  may  be  given  a personal  turn  by  etch- 
ing a monogram,  college  letter  or  initial. 

Considerable  care  and  accuracy  must  be  exercised 
in  marking  out  the  design  and  in  applying  the  protect- 
ing paint,  on  account  of  the  smallness  of  the  pieces. 
When  the  asphaltum  has  dried,  the  etching  will  be  at- 
tended to  as  usual  in  the  two-to-one  nitric-acid  solu- 
tion. When  etched  to  the  proper  depth,  the  paint  will 
be  removed,  the  piece  made  perfectly  clean  and  bright, 
and  then  placed  face  down  on  wood  and  the  central 


54 


55 


56- 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


portion  beaten  up  with  the  ball  end  of  the  hammer. 
The  extent  of  this  operation  will  largely  depend  on  the 
size  of  the  piece  and  the  nature  of  the  design.  The  stem 


Fig.  27 — Stem  for  Hatpin 


should  now  be  soldered  as  above  described,  and  the 
verdigris  solution  applied,  after  which  the  higher  por- 
tions will  be  rubbed  up  bright  and  the  protecting  coat 
of  lacquer  applied. 


TIE  PINS  AND  CUFF  BUTTONS 


IN  the  making  of  scarf  pins  and  cuff  buttons  we  must 
once  nfore  call  upon  the  supply  house  for  such  fit- 
tings as  the  pin  stem  or  cuff  button  backs,  the  former 
costing  two  cents  and  the  latter  20  cents,  gold  filled. 
The  reason  for  dealing  with  these  two  entirely  differ- 
ent articles  together  is  that  the  same  piece  may  gen- 
erally be  used  for  either.  In  fact,  quite  often  the  same 
design  is  worked  out  in  triplicate  to  make  the  set. 
Brass  is  the  preferable  metal  and  should  be  finished 
in  verdigris,  using  the  solution  previously  described. 

The  designs  in  the  illustration  are  the  12  signs  of  the 
zodiac  and  have  a certain  appropriateness  when  the 
sign  corresponding  to  the  month  of  birth  is  selected. 
The  various  shapes  and  outlines  will  serve  as  sugges- 
tions for  tie  pins  and  cuff  buttons  in  general.  Several 
pieces  of  this  small  stuff  can  usually  be  worked  up  to- 
gether from  a single  piece  of  metal  to  advantage.  The 
process  of  painting  with  the  asphaltum,  the  etching, 
and  the  handling  in  general  are  all  thereby  simplified. 
When  the  etching  is  over  and  the  paint  removed,  the 
several  pieces  may  be  cut  apart,  trimmed  and  filed 
smooth  on  the  edges.  Usually  the  design  should  be 
more  or  less  raised  in  the  center,  which  is  accomplished 
by  placing  the  piece  face  down  on  wood  and  beating 
with  the  ball  end  of  the  hammer.  Before  soldering,  be 
sure  that  all  surfaces  to  be  united  are  thoroughly  clean 
and  bright.  In  this  small  work  a 15-cent  blowpipe  will 
be  found  particularly  convenient  and  can  be  easily 


57 


58 


TIE  PINS  AND  CUFF  BUTTONS 


59 


mastered  after  a few  trials.  The  coloring  with  the  so- 
lution before  mentioned  will  now  be  in  order,  after 


Fig.  28— Pin  Stems  and  Cuff-Button  Backs 


which  the  high  lights  will  be  brightened  up  and  a coat 
of  lacquer  applied  to  render  the  effect  permanent. 


! 


DESK  CLOCKS 


IT  is  the  object  of  this  article  to  show  how  any  little 
clock  such  as  may  be  bought  in  the  department 
stores  for  a dollar  or  less  may  be  developed  into  an  at- 
tractive timepiece  suitable  for  the  desk  or  mantel 
Even  the  ordinary  dollar  watch  can  be  worked  up  to 
advantage. 

The  method  is  simply  this : A sheet  of  brass  or  cop- 
per has  about  a third  of  its  length  bent  over  to  form  a 
base,  and  a circular  opening  large  enough  to  reveal  the 
clock  face  is  cut  in  the  upper  portion.  Upon  the  back 
of  the  sheet  and  around  the  opening,  suitable  pieces  of 
metal  must  be  soldered  to  hold  the  clock  in  place.  The 
shape  and  number  of  these  pieces  will  depend  largely 
on  the  form  of  the  clock  and  whether  it  has  to  be  re- 
moved from  the  frame  for  winding.  The  dimensions 
of  the  sheet  of  metal  will  depend  on  the  diameter  of 
the  clock  face,  which  in  the  line  drawings  has  been 
taken  as  2 in.  In  case  of  a material  change,  the  other 
measurements  should,  of  course,  be  altered  proportion- 
ally. Only  two  shapes  of  frames  are  illustrated,  but 
almost  any  of  the  geometrical  forms  may  form  the 
basis  of  the  outline.  Sometimes  the  frame  is  made  of 
less  height  and  greater  width,  so  as  to  accommodate 
a clock  and  calender  side  by  side. 

The  metal  should  be  not  less  than  16-gauge.  Cut 
the  sheet  to  the  proper  form  and  smooth  off  the  edges 
with  the  file.  Draw  the  circle  for  the  central  opening, 
and  then  cut  it  out  with  the  small  metal  saw.  After 


00 


61 


62 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


smoothing  the  edge  of  the  cut,  bend  the  base  back, 
using  a wide  vise  with  the  metal  placed  between  two 
pieces  of  wood,  or  else  bend  over  the  sharp  edge  of  the 
table.  The  face  should  now  be  polished  with  a piece 
of  fine,  old  emery  cloth,  and  the  design  laid  out  pre- 
paratory to  transferring  it  to  the  metal  with  the  car- 
bon paper.  The  asphaltum  paint  is  now  to  be  ac- 
curately applied  to  all  the  not-to-be-etched  portions 
(including  the>  back)  and.  when  dry,  immerse  in  the 


Fig.  32 — Details  of  Second  Style  of  Clock 

two-to-one  nitric-acid  solution,  using  a flat  photogra- 
pher’s tray.  If  the  etching  proceeds  too  violently,  add 
water.  After  three  or  four  hours  of  etching,  remove 
the  paint  with  kerosene  and  then  wash  with  soap  and 
water.  The  clips  on  the  back  for  holding  the  clock  in 
place  are  now  to  be  soldered  on,  after  which  the  oxidiz- 
ing or  verdigris  solution  is  to  be  applied.  After  rub- 
bing up  the  higher  portions,  flow  on  a uniform  coat  of 
lacquer — and  our  clock  is  complete. 


64 


Fig.  33— Artistic  Designs  for  Hinges 


HINGES 


THE  making  of  arts-and-crafts  furniture  is  now  an 
important  item  in  all  manual  training  courses, 
and  is  probably  one  of  the  most  popular  of  handicrafts 
among  amateurs  in  general.  This  class  of  furniture 
demands  a distinctive  style  of  hardware.  In  fact,  in 
the  absence  of  the  usual  machine-made  ornaments,  the 
hardware  is  about  the  only  added  decorative  feature. 

Our  plate  of  illustrations  may  serve  to  point  out  what 
may  be  done  in  the  way  of  hinges — either  real  or  imi- 
tation. The  latter,  used  in  connection  with  butt  hinges, 
are  merely  plates  of  brass  or  copper  appropriately 
shaped  and  attached  with  large-headed  nails.  In  mak- 
ing the  real  hinge,  we  must  first  make  an  accurate  full- 
size  drawing,  showing  the  pattern  and  the  projecting 
lugs  shown  in  the  working  drawing,  Fig.  34.  As  a 
rule,  three  of  these  are  integral  with  the  stationary  por- 
tion, and  the  remaining  two  form  a part  of  the  swing- 
ing half.  With  thin  metal,  say,  20-gauge,  the  piece 
may  be  cut  out  with  the  tin  snips,  but  for  the  heavier 
gauges  the  metal  saw  must  be  used.  Where  portions 
are  to  be  cut  from  the  interior,  a hole  must  first  be 
drilled  so  that  the  saw  blade  can  be  inserted.  A short 
piece  of  board,  3 in.  wide,  with  a notch  in  the  end, 
should  be  nailed  or  clamped  to  the  bench,  so  as  to  over- 
hang about  4 or  5 in.  This  will  prove  a great  conven- 
ience when  sawing,  as  it  will  firmly  support  the  metal 
while  the  saw  moves  up  and  down  through  the  slot. 
Place  the  saw  in  the  frame  so  as  to  cut  on  the  down 
stroke. 


65 


66 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


On  the  larger  hinges  and  where  the  shape  will  per- 
mit, the  edges  should  be  bent  over  slightly  with  the 
hammer,  so  as  to  give  the  appearance  of  thickness. 
When  the  projecting  lugs  are  all  filed  up  square  and 
properly  fitted,  the  bending  should  be  proceeded  with. 


$ / k 


% 


S) 

(cP 

CS) 

3 

(a , . 

Fig ■ 34 — Hinge  Patterns  and  Stages  of  Construction 


The  various  stages  are  indicated  in  Fig.  34  and 
after  stage  two  has  been  reached,  a straight  wire  nail 
should  be  inserted  and  the  piece  hammered  closely 
around  it.  Some  further  filing  will  now  be  necessary 
in  order  to  get  the  two  sides  to  fit  properly  together. 
This  accomplished,  however,  nothing  more  remains 
than  to  fit  in  the  pin  and  trim  ofif  its  ends,  which  are 
then  to  be  slightly  burred  to  prevent  it  from  falling  out. 
The  wire  nail  used  in  forming  the  lugs  will  serve  as  a 
pin,  provided  the  head  is  cut  off  and  it  is  perfectly 
straight. 

The  etching  process  is  rarely  applied  to  hinges,  but 


HINGES 


67 


the  several  coloring  solutions,  heretofore  described, 
are  to  be  applied  according  to  the  effect  desired.  Plain 
lemon  brass  and  hammered  copper  are  popular  finishes. 
Lacquer  is  used  in  all  cases. 


DRAWER  PULLS 


THERE  is  probably  no  article  within  the  scope  of 
home  metal  work,  in  the  making  of  which  the  ef- 
forts of  the  amateur  show  up  to  better  advantage  than 
in  the  case  of  arts-and-crafts  drawer  pulls.  From  our 
illustration  of  nine  specimens  the  reader  will  get  some 
idea  of  the  variety  obtain- 
able ; and,  when  it  is  real- 
ized that  both  brass  and 
copper  are  available,  and 
these  in  various  finishes, 
the  artistic  possibilities 
will  be  evident.  A piece 
of  mission  furniture,  if 
but  of  pleasing  design, 
though  made  by  a school- 
boy and  from  pine  lum- 
ber, will,  when  properly 
stained  and  fitted  with 
this  hand-made  hardware, 
present  an  attractive  ap- 
pearance. 

The  gauge  of  the  metal 
will  run  about  No.  16  for 
average  sizes.  When  it  is  desired  to  keep  the  piece 
perfectly  flat,  do  all  the  cutting  with  the  metal  saw. 
Interior  openings  require  the  drilling  of  a hole  for  the 
insertion  of  the  saw  blade,  the  end  of  which  is  then  re- 
connected to  its  frame.  The  handles  are  of  brass  or 


Croj jr  J5e.cf-ronj 

Fig.  36 — Drawer-Pull  Construction 


68 


69 


70- 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


copper  rod,  bent  over  wood  and  with  a wooden  mallet, 
so  as  to  avoid  marring  them.  These  are  connected  to 
the  plate  by  three  methods,  which  are  clearly  indicated 
in  the  sectional  view.  In  the  first  method,  the  metal 
strip  is  first  snugly  bent  around  the  handle  and  then 
the  two  ends  are  inserted  into  the  small  rectangular 
opening  in  the  plate,  where  the  ends  are  bent  over  and 
hammered  fiat.  In  the  second  method,  a plain  riveted 
strap  is  used.  In  the  third,  the  strap  is  closely  fitted 
around  the  handle  and  the  two  ends  spread  apart  and 
drilled  for  the  rivets.  Where  the  size  and  pattern  will 
permit,  the  edges  of  the  plate  are  to  be  beveled  over 
with  the  hammer  or  mallet  so  as  to  give  the  plate  the 
appearance  of  having  considerable  thickness.  If  the 
pulls  are  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  hinges  pre- 
viously described,  the  finish  and  metal  should,  of 
course,  be  the  same. 


Additional 

Subjects 

by 

Other 

Authors 


72 


A LETTER  HOLDER  OF  PIERCED 
METAL 


THE  letter  holder  shown  in  the  illustration  will  be 
found  convenient  for  holding  out-going  letters 
that  await  the  postman’s  coming.  It  can  be  made  of 
either  copper  or  brass  and  need  not  be  of  very  heavy 
material.  Gauge  22  will  be  about  the  right  weight. 

One  sheet  of  metal  6 by  9%  in.  will  be  needed;  also, 
a board  on  which  to  work  it,  and  an  awl  and  hammer. 

Prepare  a design  for  the  front.  If  one  such  as  is 
shown  in  Fig.  37  is  to  be  used,  make  one-quarter  of  it, 
then  get  the  other  parts  by  folding  on  the  center  lines 
and  tracing.  This  will  insur:  having  all  parts  alike. 
The  letters  can  be  put  on  afterward. 

Fasten  the  metal  to  the  board,  using  tacks,  and  nail- 
ing outside  of  the  required  space,  in  the  waste  metal. 
Trace  the  design  on  the  metal  with  carbon  paper;  or, 
if  desired,  paste  the  paper  design  right  on  the  metal. 
Pierce  the  metal  between  the  marginal  line  and  the  de- 
sign, as  shown,  with  an  awl.  The  holes  should  be  uni- 
form along  the  outlines  but  should  be  pierced  promis- 
cuously otherwise.  On  the  back,  only  the  marginal 
line  is  to  be  pierced. 

Remove  the  metal,  and  the  paper,  if  it  was  pasted  to 
the  metal,  and  trim  off  the  surplus  metal  where  the 
tacks  were  placed.  File  off  any  sharpness  so  that  the 
hand  may  not  be  injured  in  handling  it.  Place  the 
metal  on  the  edge  of  a table  or  between  two  boards, 
and  bend  on  the  two  lines  indicated  in  Fig.  38,  to  right 
angles. 


73 


74 


PIERCED-METAL  LETTER  HOLDER  75 

A good  finish  is  obtained  by  just  letting  the  copper 
age  with  its  natural  color.  If  any  polishing  is  to  be 
done,  it  must  be  done  before  the  metal  is  fastened  to 
the  board  and  pierced. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  A WATCH  FOB 


THE  fixtures  for  the  watch  fob  shown — full  size- 
may  be  made  of  either  brass,  copper  or  silver. 
Silver  is  the  most  desirable  but,  of  course,  the  most  ex- 
pensive. The  buckle  may  be  pur- 
chased. The  connection  is  to  be  of 
leather  of  a color  to  harmonize  with 
that  of  the  fixtures.  The  body  of 
the  fob  may  be  of  leather  of  suitable 
color  or  of  silk.  Of  the  leathers, 
greens  and  browns  are  the  most 
popular,  though  almost  any  color 
may  be  obtained. 

Make  full-size  drawings  of  the 
outline  and  design  of  the  fixtures. 
With  carbon  paper  trace  these  on 
the  metal.  Pierce  the  metal  of  the 
parts  that  are  to  be  removed  with  a 
small  hand  drill  to  make  a place  for 
the  leather  or  silk.  With  a small 
metal  saw,  cut  out  these  parts  and 
smooth  up  the  edges,  rounding  them 
slightly  so  they  will  not  cut  the 
leather  or  silk.  Next  cut  out  the 
outlines  with  the  metal  shears. 
File  these  edges,  rounding  and 
smoothing  with  emery  paper.  The  best  way  of 
handling  the  decorative  design  is  to  etch  it  and,  if  cop- 
per or  brass,  treat  it  with  color. 


76 


WATCH  FOB 


77 


For  etching,  first  cover  the  metal  with  black  as- 
phaltum  paint,  on  the  back  and  all  parts  that  are  not 
to  be  touched  with  the  acid.  In  the  design  shown, 
the  unshaded  parts  should  not  be  etched  and  should, 
therefore,  be  covered  the  same  as  the  back.  Apply  two 
coats,  allowing  each  time  to  dry,  after  which  immerse 
the  metal  in  a solution  prepared  as  follows : 3 parts 

water,  1 part  nitric  acid,  1 part  sulphuric  acid.  Allow 
the  metal  to  remain  in  this  until  the  acid  has  eaten  to 
a depth  of  3V  in.,  then  remove  it  and  clean  in  a turpen- 
tine bath,  using  a swab  and  an  old  stiff  brush.  The 
amount  of  time  required  to  do  the  etching  will  depend 
upon  the  strength  of  the  liquid,  as  well  as  the  depth 
of  etching  desired. 

For  coloring  silver,  as  well  as  brass  and  copper, 
cover  the  metal  with  a solution  of  the  following:  % 

pt.  of  water  in  which  dissolve,  after  breaking  up,  five 
cents’  worth  of  sulphurated  potassium.  Put  a tea- 
spoonful of  this  into  a tin  with  2 qt.  of  water.  Polish 
a piece  of  scrap  metal  and  dip  it  in  the  solution.  If  it 
colors  the  metal  red,  it  has  the  correct  strength.  Dry- 
ing will  cause  this  to  change  to  purple.  Rub  off  the 
high  lights,  leaving  them  the  natural  color  of  the  metal 
and  apply  a coat  of  banana  oil  lacquer. 


A BRASS  BOOKMARK 


SECURE  a piece  of  brass  of  No.  20  gauge,  having  a 
width  of  2 in.  and  a length  of  5 in.  Make  a de- 
sign similar  to  that  shown,  the  head  of  which  is  2 in. 


Fig.  40  Fig.  41 

Designing  the  Bookmark 


wide,  the  shaft  1 in.  wide  below  the  head  and  the  ex- 
treme length,  4%  in.  Make  one-half  of  the  design,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  40,  freehand,  then  trace  the  other 
half  in  the  usual  way,  after  folding  along  the  center 


78 


BRASS  BOOKMARK 


line.  Trace  the  design  on  the  metal,  using  carbon  pa- 
per, which  gives  the  outline  of  the  design  Fig.  41. 

With  the  metal  shears,  cut  out  the  outline  as  indi- 
cated by  the  drawing.  With  files,  smooth  off  any 
roughness  and  form  the  edge  so  that  it  shall  be  nicely 
rounded. 

The  parts  of  the  design  in  heavy  color  may  be  treated 
in  several  ways.  A very  satisfactory  treatment  is  ob- 
tained by  etching,  then  coloring.  Clean  the  metal 
thoroughly  with  pumice  stone  and  water,  or  with  alco- 


Sawing-  the  Metal 

hol,  before  the  design  is  applied.  Cover  all  the  metal 
that  is  not  to  be  lowered  with  a thick  coating  of  as- 
phaltum.  Allow  this  to  dry,  then  put  on  a second  coat. 
After  this  has  dried  thoroughly  immerse  the  metal  in  a 
solution  composed  as  follows : 3 parts  water,  1 part 

sulphuric  acid,  1 part  nitric  acid. 

Allow  the  metal  to  remain  in  this  solution  until  the 
exposed  part  has  been  eaten  about  ^ in.  deep,  then  re- 
move it  and  clean  off  the  asphaltum,  using  turpentine. 
Do  not  put  the  hands  in  these  solutions,  but  use  a swab 
on  a stick. 

For  coloring  olive  green  use  2 parts  water  to  1 part 
permuriate  of  iron.  Apply  with  a small  brush. 


80,  METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 

The  lines  at  A and  B will  need  to  be  cut,  using  a 
small  metal  saw.  Pierce  a hole  with  a small  drill.  Fig. 
42,  large  enough  to  receive  the  saw  and  cut  along  the 
lines  as  in  Fig.  43.  A piece  of  wood  with  a V-shaped 
notch  which  is  fastened  firmly  to  the  bench,  forms  the 
best  place  in  which  to  do  such  sawing.  The  teeth  of 
the  saw  should  be  so  placed  that  the  sawing  will  be 
done  on  the  downward  stroke.  The  metal  must  be  held 
firmly  and  the  saw  allowed  time  to  make  its  cut,  being 
held  perpendicular  to  the  work. 

After  sawing,  smooth  the  edges  of  the  metal  with  a 
small  file  and  emery  paper.  The  metal  clip  may  be 
bent  outward  to  do  this  part  of  the  work. 


MAKING  PHOTO  SILHOUETTE  BRASS 
PLAQUES 


SECURE  a brass  plate,  having  a smooth  surface  the 
right  size  for  the  photograph,  and  cover  it  with  a 
coat  of  paraffin.  This  is  done  by  heating  the  paraffin 
in  a vessel  hot  enough  to  make  the  wax  run  freely, 
then  pouring  the  liquid  over  the  entire  surface  of  the 
brass. 

When  the  paraffin  has  cooled  sufficiently,  the  out- 
lines of  the  photograph  must  be  drawn  upon  its  sur- 
face. There  are  three  ways  of  doing  this:  First,  the 

photograph  can  be  traced  on  tissue  paper  and  then  re- 
traced on  the  paraffin  surface.  The  exact  outline  of 
the  photograph  can  be  obtained  this  way  without 
destroying  the  print.  Second,  if  you  have  several 
copies  of  the  photograph,  one  can  be  utilized  by  trac- 
ing direct  to  the  surface  of  the  paraffin.  In  using 
either  of  the  two  methods  described,  carbon  paper 
must  be  placed  on  the  paraffin  before  the  tissue  paper 
or  photograph  is  laid  upon  it.  Third,  cut  out  the  out- 
lines of  the  photograph  and  lay  it  on  the  paraffin  sur- 
face, then  trace  around  the  edges  with  the  point  of  a 
needle  or  sharp  point  of  a knife.  The  outlines  drawn 
by  the  first  method  are  cut  through  the  paraffin  in  the 
same  way.  The  paraffin  is  carefully  removed  from 
the  inside  of  the  lines,  leaving  the  brass  surface  per- 
fectly clean,  as  is  shown  in  Fig.  44. 

The  exposed  part  of  the  plate  is  now  ready  to  be 
etched  or  eaten  away  to  the  right  depth  with  acid. 
The  acid  solution  is  made  up  of  1%  parts  muriatic 


81 


Fig.  44 — Waxed  Brass  Plate 


82 


PHOTO  SILHOUETTE  BRASS  PLAQUES  83 


acid  apd  2 parts  water.  The  mixture  should  be 
placed  in  a glass  or  earthenware  vessel.  If  the  plate 
is  a small  one,  a saucer  will  do  for  the  acid  solution. 
Pour  the  acid  on  the  plate  where  the  paraffin  has  been 
removed  and  allow  it  time  to  etch.  The  plate  should 
be  removed  every  five  minutes  to  examine  the  etch- 
ing. If  any  places  show  up  where  the  paraffin  has  not 
been  entirely  removed,  they  must  be  cleaned  so  the 
acid  will  eat  out  the  metal.  When  the  acid  solution 
becomes  weak,  new  solution  must  be  added  until  the 
proper  depth  is  secured.  Rinse  the  plate  in  cold  water, 
stand  in  a tray  and  heat  it  sufficiently  to  run  of!  all  the 
paraffin.  Polish  the  plate  by  rubbing  it  with  a piece  of 
flannel. 

The  plaque  can  be  given  a real  antique  finish  by 
painting  the  etched  part  with  a dull  black  paint.  Drill 
a small  hole  in  each  of  the  four  corners,  being  careful 
not  to  dent  the  metal.  The  plaque  is  backed  with  a 
piece  of  wood,  % in.  thick,  the  dimensions  of  which 
should  exceed  those  of  the  brass  plate  sufficiently  to 
harmonize  with  the  size  of  the  plaque.  The  wood 
should  be  painted  black  with  the  same  paint  used  in 
the  plaque.  Paint  the  heads  of  four  thumb  tacks 
black  and  use  them  in  fastening  the  plaque  to  the 
board.  The  finished  silhouette  will  appear  as  shown 
in  Fig.  45. 


BRASS  FRAME  IN  REPOUSSE 


REPOUSSE  is  the  forming  of  raised  designs  on 
metal  by  hammers  and  punches,  the  design  being 
worked  up  from  the  reverse  side.  There  is  nothing 
especially  hard  in  working  up  the  design  of  the  frame 
shown. 

Punches  can  be  purchased,  as  can  the  pitch  bed  or 
block.  Both  can  be  made  easily,  however.  There  will 
need  to  be  several  punches  of  different  sizes  and 
shapes.  A piece  of  mild  steel  about  % in.  square  can 
be  easily  worked  into  tools  shaped  as  desired.  A cold 
chisel  will  be  needed  to  cut  the  metal  to  length,  a file 
to  reduce  the  ends  to  shape,  and  a piece  of  emery  pa^ 
per  to  smooth  and  polish  the  end  of  the  tool  so  that 
it  will  not  scar  the  metal. 

A small  metal  box  must  be  secured  to  hold  the  pitch. 
The  illustration  shows  an  iron  receptacle.  The  pitch 
is  prepared  by  heating  the  following  materials  in  these 
proportions : pitch,  5 lb. ; plaster  of  Paris,  5 lb. ; tal- 

low, % lb.  To  put  it  in  another  way,  use  pitch  and 
plaster  in  equal  parts  with  1/10  part  tallow.  See  that 
the  pitch  and  plaster  are  dry  so  that  the  moisture  will 
not  cause  the  pitch  to  boil  over.  Keep  stirring  the 
mass  so  that  it  never  boils.  Melt  the  pitch  first  and 
add  the  plaster  by  degrees. 

For  a piece  of  repousse  such  as  the  frame  shown, 
secure  a piece  of  brass  about  No.  18  gauge.  With  car- 
bon paper  trace  the  design  on  the  brass.  Place  the 
metal  on  the  pitch  bed  and  work  over  the  outline  of 


84 


BRASS  FRAME  IN  REPOUSSE  85 

tne  design.  Use  the  chisel-edged  tool  and  try  to 
make  the  lines  continuous.  When  this  has  been  done, 
heat  the  pitch  slightly  and  place  the  metal,  design 
down,  on  the  pitch,  and  with  the  raising  punches 
work  up  the  shape  as  desired  after  the  pitch  has  hard- 
ened. When  the  desired  form  has  been  obtained,  turn 
the  metal  over  and  “touch  up”  any  places  improperly 


Fig.  46— Design  for  the  Frame 


raised.  The  metal  will  probably  be  warped  somewhat. 
To  remedy  this,  place  a board  on  the  metal  and  pound 
until  the  metal  assumes  a flat  shape  again.  Next  drill 
a hole  in  the  center  waste  and  saw  out  for  the  open- 
ing, using  a small  metal  saw.  Trim  up  the  edges  and 
file  them  smooth. 

Clean  the  metal  thoroughly,  using  powdered  pumice 
with  lye.  Cotton  batting  fastened  to  the  end  of  a 


86 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


stick  will  make  a good  brush.  Upon  the  cleansed 
metal  put  a lacquer  to  prevent  tarnishing.  Metal  clips 


Fig.  47 — Working  Out  the  Design 


may  be  soldered  to  the  back  to  hold  the  picture  in 
place  and  also  a metal  strip  to  hold  the  frame  upright. 
These  should  be  placed  before  the  metal  is  lacquered 


HOW  TO  MAKE  A CANDLESTICK 


A CANDLESTICK  of  very  simple  construction 
and  design  can  be  made  as  follows : Secure  a 

piece  of  brass  or  copper  of  No.  23  gauge,  of  a size  suf- 
ficient to  make  the  pieces  detailed  in  Fig.  49.  A rivet- 
ing hammer  and  a pair  of  pliers  will  be  needed,  also  a 
pair  of  tin  shears  and  a piece  of  metal  upon  which  to 
rivet. 


Fig.  48— Candle  Holder  Complete 


Cut  out  a piece  of  metal  for  the  base  to  a size  of  5% 
by  5%  in.  Trim  the  sharp  corners  off  slightly.  Draw 
a pencil  line  all  around  the  margin  and  % in.  away 
from  the  edge.  With  the  pliers,  shape  the  sides  as 
shown  in  the  illustration. 

Next  lay  out  the  holding  cup  according  to  the  plan 
of  development  shown,  and  cut  out  the  shape  with 
the  shears.  Polish  both  of  these  pieces,  using  any  of 
the  common  metal  polishes.  Rivet  the  cup  to  the  base, 
and  then,  with  the  pliers,  shape  the  sides  as  shown 


87 


88 


METAL  WORK  AND  ETCHING 


in  Fig.  48.  The  manner  of  making  and  fastening  the 
handle  is  clearly  illustrated.  Use  a file  to  smooth  all 
the  cut  edges  so  that  they  will  not  injure  the  hands. 

In  riveting,  care  should  be  taken  to  round  up  the 
heads  of  the  rivets  nicely,  as  a good  mechanic  would. 


Figr-  49— Details  of  Candle  Holder 


Do  not  be  content  merely  to  bend  them  over.  This 
rounding  is  easily  accomplished  by  striking  around 
the  rivets'  outer  circumference,  keeping  the  center 
high. 

A good  lacquer  should  be  applied  after  the  parts 
have  been  properly  cleaned  and  polished,  to  keep  the 
metal  from  tarnishing. 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


3 3125 


>012  3 


667 


